A late diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) is associated with a worse prognosis, making early intervention critical to improve clinical outcomes. Under this premise and following the success of the company’s first call for startups edition, Boehringer Ingelheim Spain has launched a new edition that aims to boost digital solutions that improve the early identification and diagnosis of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), the group of diseases in which pulmonary fibrosis can develop into.

On this occasion, healthcare-related startups that offer solutions or ideas developed with the aim of improving the patient’s journey in the field of ILD, including proposals based on artificial intelligence or other digital technologies, can participate. With this, and thanks to the support of partners such as Tech Barcelona, Boehringer Ingelheim continues to collaborate with key players in the innovation ecosystem to improve the lives of patients with PIDs.

If you are interested in applying you can do so until February 14th following this link.

The winner of call will have the opportunity of taking part in a six-month mentorship program -from April to November 2025- consisting of individualized sessions with three Boehringer Ingelheim mentors, both national and international, and experts in key areas such as business and finance, market access and IT. In addition, the winner will receive a financial endowment of 10,000 euros to facilitate the development of the solution proposed integrating diagnosis for ILD, and will have the opportunity to present its solution at the 4YFN – Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2025, which will be held in March 2025 in Barcelona and is consolidated as a reference event in innovation and technology worldwide. Additionally, to the winner, the second and third place finalists will also be able to present their proposals at 4YFN.

Common in many ILDs, pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by an often chronic and irreversible scarring of lung tissue, which hinders the passage of oxygen to the blood and can lead to shortness of breath. This condition can worsen over time in some patients. It is estimated that in Spain there are 7.6 cases of pulmonary fibrosis per 100,000 inhabitants. In some cases, the cause is unknown, as in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and in other cases it appears as a pulmonary complication associated with other diseases.